How to stop a dog pulling on the lead and start walking to heel
This wasn't just our biggest dogs article of 2022 — it was the most successful article of any kind newly published in the last 12 months. And quite right too: Ben Randall's superb advice has helped hundreds of thousands of owners around the world, and we're delighted that he's gone on to write many more pieces for us. (You'll notice more than a few of them in the list below.)
How to stop your dog jumping up on people
It’s easy to dismiss our dogs’ love of jumping up on us — and other people — as friendly boisterousness. But it's something you can't ignore.
The top 20 cutest dog breeds in the world, ranked according to science
'You might as well rank the beauty of flowers,' we wrote in this article, originally published in 2021 but still relevant today. And yet despite the inherent futility of such a list, it's hard not to be intrigued by the result.
How to leave a dog alone in the house without it getting stressed
Ben's dog training advice is a hugely popular part of Country Life, but even still the response to this piece just a few weeks ago has been astonishing.
Cocker Spaniels: The irresistible dogs with loyalty to melt the coldest of hearts
Our look at the irresistible cocker spaniel is perennially popular on the Country Life website. Emma Hughes's piece is full of facts and anecdotes to put a smile on your face.
How to stop your dog barking at the door
Few things are more grating for dog owners — or more disconcerting for dog owners' visitors — than a dog barking at the door every time someone knocks or rings. Ben Randall explained how to train your dog to keep calm when it happens — ideally, with a little help from your friends and neighbours.
How to choose the perfect dog to fit your lifestyle, family and home
Those who grew up with dogs probably already know which breed they want to own, and have done for years. But the rest of us might need a bit of help — and this piece gathered expert advice that you'll be so glad you knew before taking the plunge.
How to stop your puppy crying at night
Having a puppy really isn't that different to having a baby — not least in our reaction to them crying. The plaintive whimper of a puppy is enough to melt the hardest of hearts, and tear the softest hearts into tatters; here's how to hear it less.
The Queen’s Corgis: All about Her Majesty’s most loyal subjects
As we mourned the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we took a look at her corgis, the dogs that were such a part of her life.
Have you been walking your dog wrong all these years?
If you let your dog roam free on a walk, you might be setting yourself up for problems in other areas of training. Katy Birchall spoke to top trainers to see how to let them have fun without running wild.
See Country Life's top 10s of 2022
-
How to make Eton mess strawberry blondiesOur kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson shares a mouthwatering recipe bringing together two of the greatest foodstuffs on the planet: strawberries and meringue.
-
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 12, 2025A Rolling Stone and a familiar-sounding place find their way into Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
-
What do 32 pigeons, 38 dogs, four horses and one cat have in common? They've all been awarded a Dicken medal, and now you can have one tooPunch and Judy, two brave boxer dogs, saved the lives of British officers in Palastine. Now Judy's PDSA Dickin Medal will go under the hammer at Noonans on June 11.
-
Forget catnip, it's all about catmintNepeta, the highly aromatic and pretty perennial beloved of so many country gardens, may be your feline’s favourite fix, but we should be wary of its root, warns Deborah Nicholls-Lee
-
‘It's a bit like a pub, but without the requirement of being drunk’: Why we’re all hot for a countryside saunaThe sauna is the latest wellness trend — especially one immersed in Nature. Lotte Brundle dips into why the pastime has been heating up.
-
'When you are blind, your physical world is only as far as your arms can reach, but with my guide dog, my world is limitless'Tubby little bundles of joy, guide-dog puppies may be irresistibly sweet, but they’ve been expertly engineered to perform life-changing duties, discovers Katy Birchall.
-
Arthur Parkinson: Ruffled feathers and a bad attitude — my guide on how to deal with broody hensA chicken's desire to sit on and hatch a clutch of eggs can be the most effortless way to rear your own birds, but for those who are after eggs and not chicks it can be a real issue.
-
'We don’t expect to catch monsters in British seas': The return of the bluefin tunaIt’s no longer necessary to venture to tropical waters in order to catch a monster tuna, says Jonathan Young, as he attempts to land a big-game fish in Falmouth Bay.
-
From 'Gerroff my land' to 'Get on my land': Farmers are keen to set the record straight with Open Farm Sunday 2025The event — which sees farmers throw open their gates to visitors — returns for its 19th year on Sunday, June 8 with hundreds of farms across Britain will be taking part.
-
Goodwoof: 'The remarkable thing is how few incidents of biting there are, from dogs and owners'Now in its 4th year, Goodwoof could be the canine Glastonbury. Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Duke of Richmond, reveals some of the secrets of its success.
